Apparatus for the purification of water.



No. 735,817. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903. S. S. PRIDHA'M.

APPARATUS FOR THE PURIPICATION 0F WATER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 20, 1901.

N0. 735,817. PATENTED AUG. l1, 1903.v

S'. S. PRIDHA'M. APPARATUS PRTHE PURIFICATION OF WATER. APPLICATIONFILED JULY 2o, 1901. No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SELL! 2.

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UNITED STATES atented August 11, 19015.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,817, dated August11, 1903.

Application filed July 'l 1901. Serial No. 69,021. (No model.) n'

T0 all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. PRIDHAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Newark, in the count'yof Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Vthe.Purification of Water and Defecation of Sewage; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable Yothers skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to numerals of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus andelectrode for the purification of water and also for the defecation ofsewage and other matter; and the invention has for its primary object toprovide a simple and inexpensive apparatus and electrodes therefor foreliminating from water all deleterious substances and matter, therebyrendering the water potable and capable of advantageous uses in thearts, and, furthermore, to provide an apparatus and electrodes thereforfor the purpose of treating sewage and other matter by subjecting suchmatter to a current of electricity appliedl by means of the electrodes,which arehereinafter more fully described, fully'destroying the animaland vegetable compounds in solution or suspension and causing theVdestruction of bacteria and other micro organisms. A further object ofthis invention is to pro vide an electrode consisting of an alloy ofmagnesium and aluminium whereby a practical and efficient electrode isproduced for rendering impure water it for use inthe arts by theelimination of mineral matter in` solution'or suspension. and alsorendering the water fit for drinking purposes.

Various attempts have been made topnrify water and other matter by theuse of electrolytic processes utilizing electrodessuch as zinc, iron,and carbon-as anodes of the electric circuit, and it has been found thatthe use of these electrodes results in the formation of oXids oroxhydrates of the metals employed, and the salts formed from them gointo solution in the water treated. Many of these compounds so formedare deleterious. Electrodes composed of manganese dioxid and carbon havealso been employed; but I have found by practical demonstration thatwith constant-use the carbon becomes separated from the manganese di-soxid and is thenheld in suspension in the water, which is thereby turneddark and is vthere may be the least possible resistance offered to theelectricity passing through the electrodes and vthe water or othermatter which is to be purified.

My invention therefore consists, primarily, in the novel electrode,consisting of an alloy of magnesium and aluminium; and, furthermore, myinvention consists in the novel construction of apparatus hereinafterset forth and in the several novel arrangements and combinations of theparts thereof, as well as in the details of the construction of saidparts, all of which will be fully described in the accompanyingspecification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of an apparatus constructed' inaccordance with my invention. Fig. y2 is a side view of the same; andFig. 3v is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus,illustrating in a general way the arrangement of the electrodes Withinthe watertank or runway of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a verticalcross-section of theapparatus, said section beingr taken on linee 4inFig.` 3 and said -view illustrating the pre- ICO preferred form ofelectrode forming the cath- Y ode and showing the manner of electricalconnection between it and the negative wire arranged in the other edgeof the tank or runway. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section of theelectrical connections illustrated in connection with the electrodesrepresented in said Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectionthrough a portion of one side of the tank or runway and the electricalconnections between the electrodes and the circuitwire, and Fig. 8 isavertical section through a portion of the said edge'of the tank orrunway and the electrical connection between the electrode and thecircuit-wire.

Similar numerals of reference are employed in all of the saidabove-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

In the said drawings, 1 represents a tank or runway, which may be madeof any suitable material, preferably wood or other nonconductor ofelectricity, of sufficient length and width that the water or othermatter to be purified, which is admitted at the one end and dischargedat the other end, will be brought in contact with enough surface of theelectrodes to insure defecation and puriicatiou by the action of thecurrent of electricity passed through the electrodes with which thewater or other matter is in contact. The said tank or runway 1 isprovided on the inner surfaces of the longitudinal sides 2 and 3 withcleats 4, between which are removably arranged the several electrodesforming the alternately disposed cathodes 5 and the anodes 6. The saidelectrodes are of a size that they rest upon the bottom of the tank orrunway and fit snugly between the cleats 4 on the inner surfaces of thesaid sides 2 and 3, the cathodes 5 being formed with the openings 7 atthe one side of each plate midway, or approximately so, between the topand bottom of each plate and the anodes 6 being provided withcorrespondinglyformed openings 8 at the opposite side of the platemidway, or approximately so, between the top and bottom of each plate,as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. Theseelectrodes are composed of an alloy of magnesium and aluminium,preferably in the proportion of about ninety-tive per cent. of themagnesium to iive per cent. of aluminium, and are made with the saidopenings 7 and S, preferably as illustrated, to allow of the freepassage of water or other matter to be purified about the severalelectrodes in a sinuous path, first from the one side of the tank orrunway to the opposite side between two electrodes and then in anopposite direction in the space between the next two plates orelectrodes, and so on, alternating from side to side, as will be clearlyevident. It will thus be seen that the water or other material to betreated, which is admitted at one end of the tank or runway 1 andallowed to iiow out at the other end of the tank or runway through apipe or spigot 9, will be caused to take a tortuous path or course,thereby coming in close contact with the greatest amount ofelectrodesurface and insuring the most thorough treatment by the currentof electricity which passes through the electrodes.

1n order that electrical contact may be established on one side withwthecircuit-Wire 10 and with the anodes and upon the opposite side with thereturn circuit-wire 1l and the cathodes, each electrode is provided witha contact plate or piece 12 of copper or other suitable material. Thecontact plates or pieces l2 are secured in their proper positions uponthe respective electrodes by means of rivets or pins 13 or any othersuitable fastening means.

In the upper edge of each longitudinal side 2 and 3 of the tank orraceway 1, as will be seen from Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, is a groove orchannel 14, into which the said circuitwires 10 and 11 are placed, onein each side of the tank, as shown. t right angles to the said groovesor channels 14 in the respective sides 2 and 3 are suitably-disposedchannels 15, which establish communication between said grooves orchannels 14 with the inner space of the tank or runway 1. the severalelectrodes are placed in position in the tank or runway, the contactplates or pieces 12 of the anodes are arranged in the channels 15 of theside 2 and extend directly across the longitudinal groove or channel 14in said side 2, and the contact plates or pieces 12 of the'cathodes arearranged in the channels 15 of the side 3 and extend directly across thelongitudinal groove or channel 14 in the said side 3, with the upperedges of the said plates or pieces 12 preferably made iush with theupper edges of the said sides 2 and 3 of the tank or runway 1.

In order that proper electrical contact may be made between the severalplates or pieces 12 with the wires 10 and v11, each plate or piece 12 iscut away, as at 16, for the insertion of a metal block 17 for holdingthe circuit-wires in position substantially as illustrated, abinding-screw 18 and binding-nut 19 being employed with each contactplate or piece l2 for positively forcing the wires in close electricalcontact with the respective contact plates or pieces 12. Thisarrangement of the electrodes and themanner of their electricalconnections permit of the removal of any one or more electrodes from thetank or runway 1 if found neces- When too

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sary or for the electrical disconnection of the electrodes with the saidcircuit-wires 10 and 11. These wires, as will be seen from Fig. 1,extend from the one end of the tank or runway 1 and are connected withthe respective poles of a dynamo 2O or any other suitable source ofelectrical energy.

The spaces between the several contact plates or pieces 12 in thelongitudinal grooves or channels 14,formed in the `upper edges of thesides 2 and 3 of the tank or runway, are closed, preferably, by means ofblocks of wood 21 or other suitable non-conductor of electricity,whereby the upper edges of the tank or runway are entirely closed, withthe circuit-wires inclosed within the sides of the tank and nothingextending above the upper edges of the saidsides 2 and 3 except thebinding-screws 18 and the nuts 19 on said screws.

Although the hereinabove described arrangement of contact plates orpieces l2 and the circuit-wires 10 and 1l, concealed within the groovedor channeled edges of the sides 2 and 3 or thetank or runway, is thepreferred manner of establishing electrical contact, still I do notintend to limit myself to this arrangement of the several parts, and theseveral electrodes may be electrically connected with the saidcircuit-wires in any other suitable manner and with the said wires l()and 1l exposed, if desired.

The tank or runway is provided at the lower end piece with an outlet inthe form of a pipe or a cock 9, preferably placed in the middle of saidend piece for drawing 0E the pure and potable water or other liquidmatter which has been puried.

The lower end portion 22 of the tank or runway l is usually made asherein shown,

. forming a chamber which is provided with an inclined bottom 23 and isprovided at its lowest point with an outlet 24 of any suitableconstruction, preferably in the form of a valve. Into this chamber 22can be forced from time to time by any suitable means, as stirring theliquid between the electrodes or by raising the electrodes from theirpositions in the tank or runway, all sediment and scum and then washedout through the open valve or outlet 24:.

From the above description of my invention it will be evident that Ihave devised a simple and operative apparatus for the electrolytictreatment of water and other matter and I have secured an electrode inwhich the electrical resistance has been greatly reduced and commonpolluted river-water containing large amounts of animal and vegetablematter is rendered potable in a very short time, requiring 1out a slightrate of amperage per minute and per gallon of water, while of coursewith water or other matter containing large amounts of the salts oflime, iron, magnesium, or other metals a greater amount of amperage perminute and per gallon becomes necessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatusfor the purification of water and other matter, a tank or runway, havinggrooves or channels in its sides, electrodes in said tank or runway,contact plates or pieces on said electrodes extendingin a lateraldirection into and across the said grooves or channels, circuit-wires insaid grooves or channels connected with said contact plates or pieces,and means for closing the spaces between said contact plates or pieces,ar-

ranged directly above the exposed portions of` trodes in said tank orrunway, contact plates or pieces on said electrodes extending in alateral direction into and across the said grooves or channels,circuit-wires in said grooves or channels connected with said contactplates or pieces, and means for closing the spaces between said contactplates or pieces, arranged directly above the exposed portions of saidcircuit-wires, consisting, essentially, of blocks of wood or otherinsulating material forced into said spaces and held in engagementwiththe sides of the said grooves or channels, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

3. In an apparatus for the purification of water and other matter, atank or runway, having grooves or channels in the sides, electrodes insaid tank or runway, contact plates or pieces ou said electrodesextending in a lateral direction into said grooves or channels, eachcontact-plate having an opening, a metal block in each openi'ng,andcircuit-wires passed through the said openings in the contact plates orpieces and held in place by said blocks, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. In an apparatus for the purification of water and other matter, atank or runway, having grooves or channels in the sides, electrodes insaid tank or runway, contact plates or pieces on said electrodesextending iu a lateral direction into said grooves or channels, eachcontact-plate having an opening, a metal block in each opening,circuit-wires passed through said openings in the contact plates orpieces and held in place by said blocks, a binding-screw connected witheach contact plate or piece for forcible engagement with the saidcircuit-wires, and means for closing the spaces between said contactplates or pieces arranged directly above the exposed IOO IIO

portions'of said circuit-wires, substantially live per cent. ofaluminium, substantially asY and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 16th day of July, 1901.

' SAMUEL S. PRIDHAM.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, Guo. D. RICHARDS.

